Summer Savers: Items to Buy Now

Believe it or not, having a plan in place for buying items you need at the right time can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars per year. Here's a look at items best bought during summer:

Fruits and vegetables – These are going to be cheaper in-season, so stock up now and put the leftovers in the freezer.

Gym memberships – Membership tends to wane as people head outside to get their exercise, so be on the lookout for summer sign-up deals gyms provide to combat that.

Paint – If you've stood on top of a ladder on a 95 degree day in July to put a fresh layer on a house, you'll know why most people wait until fall to do painting jobs. Retailers know this too, so they try to entice people to buy paint during their slow summer period.

Suits – Menswear tends to be another heat-sensitive consumer area, since few guys are looking to throw on the vest and sports jacket to head out to the baseball game.

Tools – Father's Day is a great time to get dad that new drill since many sales at this time try to appeal to the old man's fix-it sensibilities.

Grills – Barbecuing on the Fourth of July has become a national tradition, but once the holiday is over, retailers begin to drastically reduce the pricetags on grills.

Furniture – A lot of new furniture comes out in August, so starting in July you will see a lot of sales aimed at creating space for the new models.

Swimming gear – In August, stores are trying to sell swimsuits, pool toys and other water and beach-related goods like they're going out of style because, well…

Computers – By planning your purchase in the late summer, you can cash in on a savings double whammy. Not only can you capitalize on back-to-school sales, but if you are willing to go with a model that is a few months older than the new shelf candy, you can get some ridiculous bargains.

Outdoor gear – Camping equipment, patio gear, swingsets and playhouses eat up floor space like nobody's business, and retailers know that if they have a fall season overloaded with these items, they may get just that.

Linens – With thousands of students going off to college and needing to provide their own bedding for the first time, there is a tremendous amount of competition to supply it. Heavy competition = great deals for you.

In addition to keeping an eye out for these particular items, also find out if your state (or a nearby state) has a tax-free weekend. Many of these weekends occur in August, so you could really score big if you can buy an item you need on-sale and without taxes during this time.